226 MICRO-ORGANISMS AND DISEASE. [CHAP. 



generations have become altogether free of that matter. If 

 the organisms of these further generations still possess the 

 same poisonous property as the original material, then we 

 must conclude that this poisonous principle is identical with 

 the micro-organism. I do not agree with this whole chain 

 of propositions, although I agree with some parts. If a 

 micro-organism be carried through several successive cultiv- 

 ations in a fluid medium, always using for inoculation of a 

 new culture an infinitesimal dose, and as nourishing medium 

 a comparatively large quantity of fluid, then, no doubt, 

 carrying on the cultivations through four, five, or six successive 

 cultures, any accidentally adhering original matter becomes 

 practically lost, and if then the organism still possesses the 

 same poisonous action to the same degree as the original 

 material, then no doubt the conclusion that organism and 

 poison are in this case identical becomes inevitable. But 

 this is not the case with the jequirity bacillus. Taking from 

 a poisonous jequirity infusion full of the bacilli one to two 

 drops, and inoculating with it a test-tube containing about 

 four to five cc. of nourishing material, and using this at once 

 without previous incubation, we find that even a few drops of 

 this so diluted fluid still possess poisonous action. Precisely 

 the same result is obtained when taking from a perfectly fresh 

 jequirity infusion, i.e. before any organisms have made their 

 appearance, one to two drops, and diluting them with four 

 to five cc. of distilled water, and using of this diluted fluid 

 one to two drops for inoculating the conjunctiva of healthy 

 rabbits, severe ophthalmia will be the result. Carrying 

 on the cultivation of these bacilli started from a poisonous 

 infusion, for a second generation in fluid medium, no trace 

 of any poisonous action can be now detected, any quantity 

 of such a cultivation is incapable of producing ophthalmia. 

 Sattler used in his cultivations solid nourishing material, 



